Using myth to understand God

most complex type of symbolic language, since it incorporates symbols,
metaphors and models.

many people, argue- myths are to say that something is untrue. However a modern understanding sees myths
as giving insights into human experience.

Some theologians have chosen to
interpret religious statements and texts as myths.

Three senses

The
myth could be a story that is not true but has some other value. Braithwaite -religious stories are inspirational to us, and they
provide us with the motivation to lead a moral life.

literary device that enables us to talk about things that are
“ineffable” i.e. beyond language.

The
myth could be a method of interpreting ultimate reality. So myths have a
symbolic meaning in the sense that they
open up new levels of reality. Randall argues their purpose is to bind
communities together and urge us to take action.

The
myth could be a story that is not true but has some other value. Braithwaite -religious stories are inspirational to us, and they
provide us with the motivation to lead a moral life.

Using myth

Taking a mythological view of
religious language also side steps the criticisms of Flew and Ayer. Namely that
religious language is not factually significant and therefore meaningless.

If we interpret the bible in a
mythological sense then the stories of the Old and New Testament can not be
proved wrong by scientific or historical evidence.

These attacks are irrelevant if it
is conceded that religious statements are myths. This is because we don’t
expect myths to be factually significant.

There is a further advantage of not
taking a literal view of religious language.

interpreting religious language as
mythological is that biblical stories, which seem strange to the scientifically
minded, become more palatable.

“And
as they still went on and talked, behold, a chariot of fire and horses of fire
separated the two of them. And Elijah went up by a whirlwind into heaven.”
2 Kings 2: 11

These attacks are irrelevant if it
is conceded that religious statements are myths. This is because we don’t
expect myths to be factually significant.

Bultman

It is clear to Bultmann that the Bible was written in
pre-scientific era when myths were everywhere and were an acceptable method of
conveying meaning.

Bultmann believers can no longer takes
these biblical parables.

He agued that it is only by reading
the Bible as a mythological text that modern believers are able to square their
scientific understanding of the world with the miraculous events of the Bible.

Evaluation

Weaknesses

Plantinga argues that to claim that “God
exists” is to make an existential assertion. It is not to talk symbolically of
mythological or to adopt a certain attitude.

Plantinga maintains that when a Christian
speaks of the existence of God they are claiming first that there exists a
person of a certain sort a being who, acts, holds beliefs, and has aims and
purposes.

undermines
their status as true accounts of the events.

In other words, it must be capable
of treating religious concepts, such as God, as if they refer to something
real.

This person, secondly, is
immaterial, is perfect in goodness, knowledge, and power, and is such that the
world depends on him for existence.

Stengths

Reminds us of our need for meaning that scientism cannot offer

Innate to humanity

Speaks in existential terms and can thus ocnvey truth that other forms of language can't

Myths from different cultures share so much common ground that they can be seen to convey truth, potentially revelatory

Multi-layered and capable of speaking to the human condition in multiple ways at different times of life

Some theologians have chosen to
interpret religious statements and texts as myths.